Over the last few decades, video has taken over as the primary form of digital content. Moreover, with popular services like YouTube and social media sites, we probably go through several videos each day. You may want to download many of those videos and save them locally on your device.
However, the problem is that most online sites do not have direct download tools. Therefore, there is no other option but to use an external video downloader. In the following article, we are going to take a look at how these downloaders work and what are the best video downloaders for Chrome in 2022.
How does a video downloader work?
Before we list down the best video downloaders, let us see how they generally work. For an end-user, these services are rather simple to use. In fact, their mere purpose is to provide the utmost convenience when downloading a video file from the internet. Most of them need you to paste the video link. They automatically detect the source of that file and then run some backend algorithms to convert it into downloadable media.
Though, things are not that straightforward on the other side. Whenever the platform which contains that video file does not allow downloads, it becomes increasingly difficult for any other service to do so. How they can achieve this is quite ingenious and inventive on its own. They first determine the location of the respective flash video. Once the JavaScript for that file is obtained, it is reverse engineered to get to the actual source. All source files can inherently be downloaded from conventional internet browsers, including Google Chrome.
The 5 best video downloaders for Google Chrome
When it comes to Google Chrome, plenty of video downloaders are present in the market. Many are hosted on separate sites and URLs, while others are available as Chrome extensions or plug-ins. Irrespective of the access points, these video downloaders also differ in characteristic features, processing times, and pricing. Most are completely free to use, while some charge a minimal subscription fee. Following is a list of the five best ones to use in 2022.
1. Addoncrop Video Downloader
Addoncrop Video Downloader
Addoncrop Video Downloader is an all-in-one Chrome extension that downloads, edits, and converts all video formats. Surprisingly, it is completely free and does not feature any ads either. It can inherently download both individual YouTube videos and entire YouTube playlists. The downloader gives you the option to select only audio, only video, or both.
Apart from just downloading the video file, you can instruct it to include subtitles, video descriptions, and more. The Addoncrop Video Downloader supports a range of video resolutions all the way up to 4K. With block-level processing, high-speed downloads are ensured. Unlike other extensions that only enable simple downloads, Addoncrop converts regular YouTube videos into MP3, WAV, and WebM formats.
The Addoncrop Video Downloader also supports picture-in-picture on Google Chrome. It can be used to add links to YouTube videos too. Furthermore, the program contains separate extensions for YouTube, SoundCloud, Dailymotion, and VK. On their official website, you get relevant resources, manuals, and support channels. It hosts an active blog that is continuously updated with how-to listicles, tutorials, and useful guides. Other Addoncrop products include free online tools, MP3 converters, a media toolkit, etc.
2. Online Download Manager
Online Download Manager
Online Download Manager is an easy-to-use video downloader that works for various media platforms. It can download videos from more than 40 popular sites, including YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and Facebook. The built-in navigation tools allow smooth conversion between any commonly used video formats. It boasts a list of specifically designed features that effectively work with YouTube. They enable the user to download multiple videos at once.
Their service team is known to roll out frequent updates, keeping the platform up to date with the latest downloading mechanisms. When you visit the page on which the video is hosted, Online Download Manager automatically detects all video files and then displays them under its menu. It assigns separate tabs to each video to choose the format, select video quality, and then track the downloads.
Online Download Manager also has individual sections for videos, music, images, data files, and recent downloads. When you shift to a new tab, the entries on the list are updated to include relevant files. This download manager works with Google Drive and can directly export videos to your cloud storage. Online Download Manager is primarily free but includes in-app purchases for additional features. It contains a domain filter and a profound notification system. The premium membership also comes with downloading private videos, ID tags for MP3, and video trimming tools.
3. Video Downloader Professional
Video Downloader Professional
The number three video downloader on our list is a browser extension you can get from the Chrome Web Store. It currently has more than 3 million users worldwide. Once installed, the extension icon is displayed in the top right corner of your browser window. Whenever you need to download a video, click on the icon to open the downloader menu.
The menu contains a list of all available videos. It automatically detects any video file present on the page currently opened on your browser. Then, you have to find the video you want and click on the green “Download” button right next to it. The downloader will also let you choose the resolution. Moreover, you can directly cast that video to some other device from here. Even though this feature is now readily available on YouTube, the Video Downloader Professional lets you do so with any video on the internet.
However, there are some cons to the increased control with this extension. Since it lists down all videos, it becomes difficult to find the one you want. It may not sound as big of a problem, but it grows really annoying when you are downloading from a web page containing several videos.
4. Save The Video
Save The Video
Save The Video is another completely free video downloader that supports batch downloads for videos, music, playlists, etc. It integrates seamlessly with more than 1000 sites. Save The Video is probably one of the most extensively developed downloaders. It not only provides the link bar for direct downloads but also supports desktop applications and separate extensions for different social media platforms.
It works flawlessly with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Dailymotion, etc. You even get to choose the inclusion or exclusion of watermark from all of these sites. Save The Video does not pop spammy advertisements like most of its counterparts. Besides, the download speeds are actually quite impressive as well.
On Save The Video, you do not have to go through any login or signups whatsoever. The platform has a strict privacy policy and does not collect any information from your end. Their site can be configured in 13 different languages and hosts an active blog. It rolls out frequent updates on video streams, testing tools, and generalized video content on social media. All in all, it is a simple video downloader that checks out most user requirements.
5. CocoCut Video Downloader
CocoCut Video Downloader
CocoCut Video Downloader is an extension-based program with more than 400,000 active clients. It can be used to download videos from any website, including Facebook, YouTube, Dailymotion, and Vimeo. One of the unique selling points of CocoCut Video Downloader is its ability to record and download live streams. Also, it configures to export videos in multiple output formats and resolutions depending on the source link.
For someone who does not have speedy internet connections, the batch downloading feature saves time. CocoCut is integrated with automatic video detection technology that analyzes the video’s flash footprint for making relevant adjustments.
There are no download limits which means you can use it to save entire movies without imminent disruptions. The variety in supported video and audio formats is truly amazing. It also has an HLS streaming downloader that can detect M3U8 files too. CocoCut even provides a live preview before the video is downloaded. However, you will have to register an account for unlocking that.
Conclusion
Most social media platforms and video libraries do not permit direct downloads. Google Chrome allows you to save images by opening them in a new tab; however, there is no such support for videos. Therefore, distinct video downloaders are required, which enable quality downloads in multiple formats. They conveniently detect video files from several websites and convert them directly into transferrable media. The 5 options listed above work perfectly well for various applications.
